Saul's Conversion and the Repentance of Robert A. Hardie

 


Saul took immense pride in serving the Lord. He possessed the passion, knowledge, and energy to travel great distances, even to the point of killing Christians, believing he was doing it for God. However, the Lord stopped him and asked, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Not only did the Lord know Saul’s name, but He said something unbelievable—that Saul was persecuting Him. This was never Saul's conscious intention. Then, the Lord revealed Himself: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." What shocking news this must have been! Saul thought he was devoting himself to God, yet the Lord told him he was hurting Him.

How many times have I heard these words echo in my own life?

I, too, have done my best. I have devoted my whole life and poured out my passion, knowledge, and energy into things that God did not want—all while thinking it was for Him. How many times have I hurt Jesus' feelings by hurting the feelings of others who carry Jesus within them?

                                                  

                                                            

Robert A. Hardie

As I look at Paul’s conversion today, I am reminded of the repentance of Missionary Robert A. Hardie, which became the spark for the 1907 Pyongyang Great Revival—one of the most remarkable revival movements in history.

Dr. Hardie was a Canadian medical doctor and a Methodist missionary who had established many churches and achieved significant milestones. However, he eventually fell into spiritual depression. He was deeply disappointed in the Korean believers, often rebuking them for drinking during meetings, failing to show transformation after baptism, and engaging in questionable financial dealings among themselves.

During a Bible study with fellow missionaries, Dr. Hardie received a profound realization. He stood before the congregation and made a public confession of three major sins:

  1. His racial pride as a white man who looked down upon Koreans with a sense of superiority.

  2. His arrogant attitude stems from his status as a medical doctor.

  3. His failure to truly love the Korean people, attempting to do ministry solely through his own strength rather than the power of the Holy Spirit.

This confession became a catalyst. The congregants began to openly confess and repent of their own sins to one another, which ignited the flame of the 1907 Pyongyang Great Revival.


Prayer Lord, thank You for speaking to me today with the same words. 

You spoke to Saul and to Missionary Hardie. 

Help me to love Your people—those who carry and serve You—even more deeply. 

Grant me the grace to fulfill Your mission not by my own might, 

but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.



                                                    

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